


but changing roles (it struck me that the two of us could run).

by redhoods



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 13:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoods/pseuds/redhoods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a side that rarely makes an appearance, but never fails to drive Jace up the wall with want. It's also the side of Alec that prompts worry in Jace, the times when Alec is more like Jace than Alec is like Alec.</p>
            </blockquote>





	but changing roles (it struck me that the two of us could run).

Jace is having one of those days where nothing seems to happen just the way he wants it to or even remotely close to the way he wants it to. It starts with waking up an hour later than usual, missing his morning run, and the only clean clothes he can unearth are old work out shorts that nearly have holes worn into them and a tank top that does have holes in it. It all just goes down from there. No coffee left, Isabelle in a bad mood, and Alec no where in sight.

It's not really unusual for Alec to not make an appearance until their usual unspoken training time, but this is just one of those days where Jace could use his parabatai. Alec always calms him down, always pulls things back together to where they're supposed to be. Jace checks all of Alec's usual places. The library, Alec's room, the living room. He even checks the weapons room and the training room. _And_ he asks Isabelle if she's seen Alec. All he gets from her is a bottle of nail polish thrown at his head.

He decides that since he can't find Alec, he'll escape to the roof, maybe see if he can wait out the bad day. To say Jace is surprised to see Alec sitting on the edge of the roof is an understatement. "Not considering jumping, are you?"

Alec doesn't jump, doesn't even show that he heard Jace except for the slight pensive tilt to his head. "I might have been, but I think I've changed my mind," the response is cryptic, but Jace is used to that in his life. He walks over and straddles the ledge next to Alec, one leg dangling off the edge, his body angled towards the other male. It's then that he notices the entire reason that Alec has escaped to the roof.

"You know, you're supposed to be the smart one."

Alec's response is to meet his eyes as he takes a long drag from the cigarette before releasing the smoke at a steady pace from the corner of his mouth. The bolt of desire that strikes Jace isn't all that surprising, so much as the fact that he really wants to look away from the display in front of him because he isn't really used to this side of Alec. It's a side that rarely makes an appearance, but never fails to drive Jace up the wall with want. It's also the side of Alec that prompts worry in Jace, the times when Alec is more like Jace than Alec is like Alec.

It seems like it's going to be a battle of wills, see who backs down first, who can't take the intensity, but Alec gets this look on his face, serious and contemplative, before he turns his gaze out to the city lying out in front of them. Jace swallows heavily, looks down at the brick under him, before turning his eyes to the city as well.

\--

It's been three days and Jace tallies up in his head that Alec has - at least - gone through five packs of cigarettes. Isabelle is still in a foul mood and Jace is starting to realize how much their emotions and moods effect each other, especially when he goes to Taki's on his own and doesn't even feel like flirting with the waitress. Actually, he sort of scowls at her, which causes her to edge off and him to feel a little bad, but not enough to apologize.

It doesn't strike him until he's sitting at the island in the kitchen, eating ice cream, that he realizes how much of a girl he's being about the situation. He briefly wonders how Alec does it, but the thought derails when Alec walks into the room, sleep rumpled and a cigarette in his hand.

"Your mom would dice you with a kitchen knife if she saw you in here with that," Jace states, pointing his spoon in the direction of the cigarette, taking Alec in as he leans against the counter across from Jace.

Alec shirtless is a sight that Jace is used to, the dark shapes of the ruins across Alec's pale skin, the faded marks from old ruins, the scars. It's a sight he's seen in various circumstances, yet it's still one that never ceases to draw his attention in, causing him to trace every mark and line over Alec's torso.

"Jace, seriously," and Jace blinks a few times and pulls himself together, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. When did Alec take his spoon and ice cream, anyways? 

"I asked who was going to tell my mom that I was smoking inside?" And his eyebrow is arched up and Jace really wants quiet, not-so-bold Alec back before he goes crazy. He takes his spoon and drags the bowl back across the counter to him, Alec has a cigarette to smoke anyways, and takes an almost too large bite to keep his mouth occupied before what he's really thinking tumbles out.

They stay in a tense silence while Alec finishes his cigarette and Jace is intently focused on finishing his ice cream. He doesn't look up from the bowl until Alec huffs and puts out his cigarette before leaving the kitchen.

\--

The next day, Alec attacks Jace in training with a ferocity that Jace has never experienced first hand from the other male. Well, not in a violent way. Alarms are blaring in Jace's head and he manages to get a one up on Alec, pushing the other male into the wall and using all of his own weight to keep Alec there and still. "Alec, talk to me, what's going on?"

Alec thrashes and pushes at Jace's chest. "Just let me go, Jace!"

Shaking his head, Jace pulls Alec into his chest, holding the other male tight against his front. "No. Not until you talk to me," he states softly and is sort of alarmed when the fight just blinks right out of Alec and the other male slumps against him.

It takes a few minutes but then Alec's arms are around him and the other male's face is pressed into his neck and Jace isn't sure what to say to fix things when he doesn't know what's wrong, so he cards his fingers through Alec's hair and just holds him. "Parabatai," he tries softly, dropping a kiss to Alec's shoulder.

"It's his birthday, Jace," and, oh.

How did he miss that? And Jace is hit with an overwhelming amount of guilt and grief that causes him to sit down heavily on the floor, upsetting Alec in the process and they end up sprawled gracelessly across the floor, limbs tangled together.

"Jace?" Jace shakes his head against the floor and opens his arm, letting Alec curl against him, his arms tight around the other male.

"I'm sorry, parabatai," he states softly because he isn't sure what to say to Alec to help him. He knows he can't make it better or fix it, but maybe he can take the edge off the pain, like Alec has done for him more times than he can count.

Alec's voice is muffled from where his face is pressed into Jace's chest but Jace makes out the words nonetheless. "For not, being here, not being the parabatai I promised you I would be, for being too involved in myself."

Jace lifts his head when he feels Alec's head lift off his chest and can't help but frown at the look Alec is giving him, almost as if he's been slapped in the face but then Alec is moving up and kissing him. It's hard and there's no skill involved in it, just a harsh slide of chapped lips against chapped lips but the point comes across loud and clear to Jace. He resists the urge to chase after Alec's lips when the other male pulls back, just splays his hand over Alec's back and lets his head thud back to the ground.


End file.
